Snow in the Trees
by Himesayuri Phoenix
Summary: Hotaru is selected to participate in the inter-village Chuunin Exchange, and heads to Konoha to stay with the Hyuuga Clan for the next year. Can Neji's training and the Hyuuga's secret history vaults help Hotaru reach her full potential?
1. A Name from the Past

Snow in the Trees

What you've all been waiting for – the start of my next Hotaru story. And yes, Chapter 2 is already in the works, so hopefully it won't be forever and a year before I update again. I'll do my best.

Hotaru heads to Konoha in this story, so expect plenty of fun interaction with canon characters

Without further ado…

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Snow in the Trees

Chapter 1: A Name from the Past

Dawn brought orange light through the trees to light the way, and Katana and Garuki, my team, appeared finally at the far end of the path. Visible through the leaves where I hid, the small, hunched elderly lady, Tanuki-san, walked between my companions.

Our client's request was simple – escort the lady, his mother, to the farthest border of Snow Country, the corner where it met with Rain and Waterfall territory. Our client, like the Yukikage's parents a renegade from Hidden Rain, was concerned Rain would target and capture his mother on her way home to Waterfall Country, to be used as a hostage against him. We had no guarantee Rain knew where he or his mother had been hiding, nor that this would be a strategy they'd be likely to use if so. But it was possible.

At the border, a guard of Waterfall nins was to meet us for the hand-off, to take Tanuki-san the rest of the way. That saved us the trouble of needing to cross the border, a process which was time-consuming and full of paperwork even with allied nations.

It was a C-ranked mission.

'Do you think you're ready, Hotaru?' the Yukikage had asked me in her office several days before.

'Of course,' I replied easily, shifting from one foot to another. 'We've taken on B-ranked missions since before I became Chuunin. No problem.'

'Yes,' Yukiko-sama offered. 'However, up until now Sutiibu-san has always been with you.'

'What?' I stopped fidgeting.

'I've sent Sutiibu-san out on an A-ranked rescue mission with a few other Jounin. He won't be available.'

'Are there no other teams with all members available?'

'Team 6 is in…however, I believe your team is better suited to this particular mission, so I've chosen you.'

'You mean…'

'You've been a Chuunin for six months now, Hotaru. You've already taken over much of your team's training drills so I see no reason I shouldn't make you the team captain for this mission. That's what Chuunin do, after all, isn't it? Lead missions?'

'Well, yes, but…'

'If you do well, there is another mission of sorts I'd like to consider you for.'

I stood there, stunned.

'Let's have tea when you get back, all right?' she said politely, dismissing me.

Now I was in the trees at the border of Waterfall, about to complete my first mission in solo command, without a hitch.

"The Waterfall team is up ahead," I whispered to seemingly no one. "All three are waiting in plain sight on the road, exactly at the designated point. Their numbers and appearances check out."

A small flutter beside my ear was my only indication the moth was still present; he blended in perfectly with the trunk of the pine.

Down the road, my Kokugan caught the small flare of chakra from Garuki's right palm, a signal only I could see which indicated he'd heard me.

Six months before, at the Chuunin Exams, Garuki had overworked one of the two species in his double-contract summon, the butterflies. About two months back, finally, a clan of moths had agreed to take their place and honor the contract, seeing as they were somewhat related. I had to admit, the moths seemed to be an improvement; they were certainly sneakier than butterflies, and seemed to be more loyal to Garuki as well, since he'd had to win them over himself.

Slowly, the old lady limping slightly behind, my friends approached the border and the small Waterfall patrol.

"Greetings from the Yukikage," Garuki said officially, though waving as he said it.

All three Waterfall ninjas bowed stiffly, the tallest, in the center, doing the talking. "And from the head of Waterfall Village." Then, "May we see your transit papers please?"

Garuki reached for his jacket pocket.

"No!" I whispered urgently to the moth.

Garuki covered by acting as if he'd forgotten where the papers were.

Of course we carried transit papers, in case of an emergency in which the other team never showed, where we would be forced to carry out the second half of the mission ourselves in the interest of the client's safety. But the mission clearly stated we were not to enter Waterfall territory at any time; that was the only reason it was only a C-ranked mission. Based on the agreed mission parameters, Waterfall ninjas would have no reason to believe we carried any papers, let alone bother to ask for them.

Unless they weren't aware of the mission parameters.

For the sake of expediency, I merely relayed to Garuki, "It's a trap. Probably Rain nins in disguise. Don't let them know you know until they make a move, and don't give them the papers!"

Transit papers would give enemy ninjas access into the entire Waterfall territory.

Garuki's chakra flared again in acknowledgement. "I can't seem to find them," he finally said, sounding foolish. "Shall we just leave the client with you? Don't need papers for that."

One of the lesser nins nodded and moved toward the lady, but the main ninja held him back. "Sorry, but we need those papers."

"Well, we're sorry too," Garuki stated, staring the "Waterfall" nin down, "but we don't have them." Pulling his hand out of his pack, where he had been faking his search, his hand full of kunai came into view.

The middle ninja charged, his flunkies holding Garuki and Katana at bay while he raced for the old woman. She held her arms up in futile defense, but the ninja got a hold of her anyway –

– and then she exploded into a cloud of black moths.

_Nice one, Garuki,_ I thought. _You and the moths sure have gotten good at transformations._

In the chaos that followed, nothing could be seen on the tiny battlefield as the moths swallowed the group in blackness with their sheer numbers. When the cloud dispersed, Katana had two ninjas incapacitated with wires, and Garuki held the claws of his transformed fists at the leader's throat.

I hopped down from the tree and stepped out of the bushes, signaling the real Tanuki-san, who had been under my watch all along, to follow.

"Good work," I said to my team, keeping an eye on the chakra levels of all three Rain ninja just in case one of them tried to pull something.

"What do we do with them?" Garuki asked, looking to me for direction now.

I considered. "Interrogate them, then knock them out," I decided. "They won't give us any more trouble once the old lady's safe at home."

Beside me, Tanuki-san snorted at my rude treatment of someone of her superior age, but she couldn't deny the service we'd just done her, so she declined to comment.

Garuki and Katana nodded, and within moments we had the information we needed – the Waterfall team had merely been delayed inside the border, not killed as we'd feared. Clearly these Rain nins were only Genin, to rely on trickery and delays rather than outright murder. Within a half hour, we located the Waterfall ninjas just within the border ("Good thing we brought transit papers," Garuki commented) and were on our way back home to the Hidden Village of Snow.

Mission success.

Traveling unburdened by our elderly charge, we arrived in Yukigakure early the next afternoon, having taken the time to rest in shifts overnight. Sutiibu-sensei was on Gate duty, and greeted us as we approached.

"So, how'd it go?" he asked jovially, as if he already knew the answer.

"Well," I reported. "We delivered Tanuki-san to our Watefall counterparts yesterday at noon."

"Excellent!"

"Yeah," Garuki added, "but it wouldn't have been if Hotaru hadn't suspected the trap and set us up for it ahead of time."

"Trap?" My teacher crossed his arms and leaned back against the gate wall to listen.

"A group of Rain nins ambushed us, pretending to be the Waterfall party," Katana explained. "Hotaru-san expected it and set us on alert, so we were well prepared."

"It seemed the likeliest and safest place for them to make a move," I said humbly, noting, not for the first time since I'd become Chuunin, Katana's use of the honorific "-san" after my name. She was still protective of me, but no longer treated me like a child – instead, like the team lead I'd become. I appreciated the show of respect, but her deference still felt awkward at times.

Sutiibu nodded my direction. "Good work. Now you should hurry along to the Yukikage to make your report. I believe she's wanting to talk to you in particular, Hotaru."

We bowed our heads politely and made our way through the open gates, into the bustling village streets. As we rounded on to the main street which led to the Yukikage's residence, a pink-haired blur collided into me.

Jomei got up and dusted off his well-worn, long outgrown pirate outfit, grinning ridiculously.

"Jomei!" I said, ignoring the way he'd run into me; it was a usual enough occurrence. "What are you doing back so soon? Is the Exam over already?"

"Yep!" Jomei practically yelled. "And guess what – I'm a Chuunin!"

"No way," I said conversationally, although I didn't seem nearly as surprised as my two teammates, whose jaws hung open.

_Jomei may be a goof, _I thought, _but he shouldn't be underestimated._

"And Mika, and Nari's boyfriend Tomeo-san too," he added as an afterthought.

Silence from my two friends. I knew what that meant. They both now remained the only rookies from their respective years not to have achieved Chuunin rank.

I knew it was largely due to Sutiibu's rule of two years between tests. I felt strongly that now, even only six months after our exam in Konoha, they would both pass with ease. But I'm sure that didn't make it any easier on them.

Jomei pumped his fist in the air, oblivious. "Our team rocked! Anyway I'm going to the ninja clothes designer to pick out a new outfit, something good for a Chuunin!" He took off in the opposite direction, mumbling something particularly ill-omened regarding yellow pleather pants.

"Don't let it get to you," I said quietly.

Garuki shrugged his shoulders, letting it go the same way he'd always done so well, but Katana stared after Jomei with an odd, unsettled gaze. Still, she said nothing.

_She's grown,_ I thought. _We all have._

Moments alter we arrived at the Yukikage's office, and her assistant, Kumiko, let us right in. "She's been expecting you," Kumiko said, not surprising me at all.

We entered the offices, bowed, and stood in a line facing the desk behind which Ginkaze Yukiko sat. She wasn't wearing her official hat today, and her silver bangs fell into the sparkling purple eyes staring back at us, highlighting her youth.

"Report."

I gave a detailed account of the mission, and once again Garuki and Katana filled in the part about me suspecting the ambush. The Second Yukikage seemed pleased.

"Well done; it was a complete success. Garuki-san, Katana-san, you are free to go. I'll give you two days' leave to rest up. Hotaru-san," she said, turning to me, "if I could have a word?"

I nodded stiffly, the child in me automatically cringing under the fear of inevitable chastisement which would follow such words. But there was none apparent in the Yukikage's face, and she examined me kindly as my friends left the room.

"A chair?" she offered, but I chose to stand. I only sat with Yukiko-sama when she invited me for a meal; this felt different.

"Hotaru-chan," she began, informally, "I have to say I'm quiet impressed."

I blushed.

"Truly. The brilliance you've shown in the training programs you developed for your team shows clearly in your leadership and your team's strength in the field as well. I am curious, though," her eyes leveled at me, "why you chose to remove yourself from combat."

_So she noticed. But, of course, _she _would._

"You don't think it was a wise tactical decision?" I tried.

"Oh, it was that; it gave your team a distinct advantage to have you spying ahead in the trees, able to give directions quickly and without being noticed. But I don't believe that's why you made the decision."

I looked at my feet.

"Hotaru, you displayed your strength fiercely at the Chuunin Exam, and that was six months ago. You alone of your team were promoted. Yet you still feel inferior to your teammates?"

When I said nothing, she continued.

"If that's the case, perhaps we should focus on rectifying that."

"Excuse me, rectify?" I asked.

"How about some time to perfect that Bloodline of yours? I note you've taken to using Kokugan quite efficiently. Why not Hibana?"

I gaped.

"You don't think it would help?"

"N – no," I stuttered. "That's not it." _I'm just shocked you knew all that, _I thought, although I shouldn't have been surprised, I suppose. "It's just, even if I did nothing else it would take ages to master…"

"A year, perhaps?"

"Longer, certainly, and I…" I trailed off. "I don't think I can do it anyway, Ni-daime-sama," I finished, using her formal title. "I don't have the resources."

"But Konoha does, do they not?"

I blinked. _She knows that, too? _"Well, yes. If anyone, they do…"

"A new opportunity has opened up," Yukiko said, leaning back in her chair. "In the interest of promoting relations between the Allied Villages, especially given Snow's excellent performance in the recent Chuunin Exams," she nodded my direction, "Konoha Village has proposed a Chuunin Exchange."

"What?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. One Chuunin-level ninja each from Snow, Waterfall, and Sand will switch places with a Konoha Chuunin for one year. You'll train with their masters, stay in their homes, become members of their teams. In short, you will belong to Konoha for one year, and your Konoha 'replacement' will belong to Snow."

"That's…unheard of."

"Yes," she allowed. "There will be limits, of course. In the event of a war involving either Snow or Konoha, you're each to be sent straight home. Also, each village will handle it as they will, but I'm certain you'll be closely watched, and barred from certain sensitive information." She handed me a scroll listing several of Snow's greatest advantages, location-based, jutsu or otherwise. "For example, you are barred from sharing any of that with Konoha, in case necessity should ever force us to war."

"Really?" I asked, scanning the list. "Chakra Warmth no Jutsu?"

"Think. Ninjas unable to adjust to the extreme cold stand out here, ineffective as spies and unable to fight their hardest."

"That makes sense."

"Other than that, though," she pointed to the list, "the idea is to exchange training styles, ideas, culture, and information on enemy villages – things like that. It promotes the Alliance highly to have friends in foreign villages, as well."

"Hostages?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"Perhaps. But if you can get what you need from it, and build relationships in the process…"

_She's right. It's worth it._

"When would I start?" I asked.

She handed me another scroll, containing details on the program. "You would leave later this week."

"So soon…"

"But you want to go?"

I opened the scroll and let my eyes scan down the page, glancing at the details. They came to rest on the name of the Konoha ninja with whom I was to change places.

_Hyuuga….Hinata?!_

I looked up at the Yukikage, eyes firm.

"I'll go."


	2. Toward Starry Skies

AN: Woooah, I'm updating?!? I know, right??

Sorry it's taken so long. I go through phases with my current stories, and I've been on a Bleach kick for awhile. But Garuki's creator has begun writing this arc from his point of view, a very exciting thing for me since he's never actually written Garuki before – so I've been in the mood to work with Hotaru.

Naw, I don't know how long it'll last – but expect multiple chapters in the next week or two at least! Enjoy ^^

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 2: Toward Starry Skies

I couldn't take much with me; I wasn't traveling alone, per se, but I'd be meeting Konoha nins at the halfway point and I didn't know how large or small my escort would become. Besides, it wasn't like me to make anyone carry my bags for me – not even in this case.

So all I had with me from my life as a Snow ninja when I left the village gates fit into a single backpack – my lightweight ninja outfits, the few shuriken and other tools that I used on a regular basis, some posters and photos to decorate my new room. There was one of me with my family in there, from just after my Chuunin Exam. I also had my Genin photo, with my team – Sutiibu-sensei, Katana-nee-san, and Garuki-kun. Plus rations for the trip over. That was all, but I was ready.

What I lacked in personal possessions, though, I made up for in escorts. Upon hearing I'd be leaving them for a year, Jomei, Shiro, Nari and Rai, Katana and Garuki had all insisted upon seeing me off. And since I needed escorts anyway – we'd be meeting the Konoha party halfway, and my "replacement" would need a guide to our village – the Yukikage agreed to send them along.

My large party gathered at the front gates of Hidden Snow, where Sutiibu and the Yukikage stood to see me off with hugs and well-wishes. Sutiibu slipped a small gift into my hands as I left – it was in a case, so I didn't open it yet. It would give me something to do when I arrived.

"Train hard, kiddo," he said in my ear as he hugged me. "We'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, sensei."

Yukikage-sama gave me a little box addressed to the Hokage, requesting that I pass it to her as a diplomatic gift, then handed me a small, very normal-looking scroll.

"It's got a ninjutsu placed on it," she explained. "If you address it to me, anything you write on it will appear on my own scroll in my office. Keep it secret – but keep me up to date."

I smiled, and nodded, and bowed. And with that, I took one last look at the gates of Yukigakure, then turned and headed once more towards Konoha, my "escort" in tow.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took us roughly four days to reach the halfway point, an old border checkpoint just outside Fire Country borders, near a rock outcropping at the head of the famous Fire Forest. I'd stayed there once before, before the Chuunin Exam – it had the rustic familiar feeling of home to it. The Konoha nins weren't due until late the next morning, so we settled in for the night. Since Garuki's moths could act as lookouts (on shifts of course – after the butterfly incident, he'd never overwork _them_), we gathered around the campfire to play card games, tell ghost stories and make smores. Jomei even sang for us – he's better than you'd imagine when he tries, though his lyrics made no sense at all. Mostly, we were united in our determinations to completely ignore the fact that I would be leaving them come daybreak. It was only the persistent, unnatural silence regarding the subject which reminded me, every now and again, that the current good times couldn't last much longer.

Before we went to bed, Garuki and I took a shift of guard duty to give the moths a break, and headed to the top of the large rock outcropping. It had a great view of the area, but more importantly it had a great view of the sky. Back towards home, to the north, storm-clouds roiled and threatened the mountains; to the south, towards Konoha, beautiful starry skies greeted us. We were already far enough South that I'd dropped my chakra warmth no jutsu, for only the third time ever since I'd learned it.

"You're so lucky," Garuki said with characteristic enthusiasm. "You get to spend a whole year under skies like _that!_"

"Well, I'm sure it rains sometimes," I said. "It's so green down there. Either way, though, I think I'll need a new outfit." Mine had been designed to keep me warmer, so that chakra warmth no jutsu's chakra-sucking effects wouldn't hit me quite so hard – I needed all I could get with my chakra supply. It would be too toasty in no time. "As far as I know, there's no 'chakra cool' technique."

Garuki nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned. "I've got it!"

"Huh?"

He looked around for something, finally taking two rocks in his hand and transforming them into a pencil and piece of paper, respectively. He scribbled like mad for a minute or two before producing a drawing.

"I…I love it!"

In that short amount of time, Garuki had designed for me a whole new outfit.

"The pants are loose to allow air and movement so they'll be nice and cool. The long-sleeved jacket can be made of light-weight material so it's good for when it rains. And the tassel just looks cool." He grinned.

I hugged him, to which he stiffened slightly, and I laughed and pulled away. "You're brilliant, Garuki!"

The pencil and paper transformed back into pebbles. Garuki tossed the pen-rock away, and handed me the other pebble. "Just give that to the tailor."

I stared.

"Um…what good will this do me? The drawing isn't its original form, it won't transform back into the drawing."

"Oh, right," Garuki said, not appearing at all phased, and he held his bands in a boar seal. "It's a spying technique Shiro taught me awhile ago." He showed me the next two seals in the sequence and drew the chakra rotation in the air. I mimicked. "It's called 'Reverse Release' and it shows the last thing an item was transformed into. It's super useful. Just don't transform the pebble into anything else before you get to Konoha."

"Right," I said, memorizing the technique. Then the word 'Konoha' sunk in. "Right…Konoha."

Garuki laid back and looked up at the stars. "We'll miss you," he said, "but it's okay. You'll be back before we all know it. I bet you won't even want to leave."

"Yeah, right." I was quiet for a moment before adding, "Train hard, okay? When I get back it'll almost be time for you and nee-san's next Exam. And anyway, I don't want to have to worry about you guys while I'm gone."

"We'll be fine. You be careful too."

I merely nodded. The next two hours were uneventful, so we spent them watching the stars.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I woke the next morning before the sun was entirely visible. In the pink and orange dawn light, the others woke one by one and began packing up camp. Jomei relieved a tired Shiro from guard duty, and we cleaned camp silently amidst nearby forest birds' songs. I, with great care, lit a small fire – the only thing I dared ever use Hibana for – and Rai and Nari set to work stewing "breakfast ramen", something Rai and Jomei had invented. Well, Jomei's version called for jalapeños and apples, among other things, but Rai's version was one of my favorites, and occasionally sold as a special now at Ichiraku, thanks to Garuki's connections. Everyone livened up once we had our bowls to warm the chilly morning air.

Jomei hung upside-down from a tree branch nearby. "I'm telling you it would be better if you added gummi bears," he said, pouting. "But I still want som- Oh, oh! Guys, I can see someone coming! I bet it's them!" Jomei looked as if he would be jumping up and down…if that were possible while hanging upside-down in a tree.

Without anyone asking, Garuki paused in his meal and summoned a single moth. It saluted him with one of its tiny legs and zoomed off at light speed.

"We'll know soon," Garuki said offhandedly.

But no one could really relax anymore, and we hurried through our meal. By the time Garuki received his report, moments later, we were all rinsing out our bowls and packing our few kitchen supplies.

"It's them. I recognize Hinata from the Exam," Garuki said with a smile as he collected our bowls.

Jomei hopped down from his tree post, mid-air somersault thrown in for good measure, and quickly slurped up the remainder of the ramen before our visitors arrived. I'd never seen anyone eat so fast – except perhaps Rai, but his mouth was too large for that to be an entirely fair comparison. Jomei added his dish to the pile after having Nari rinse it out with water bending. As the last utensils were being packed up and Nari and I doused the fire, the Konoha party arrived at the edge of camp.

"Hail, oh mighty ninjas of Konoha," shouted Jomei – he had returned to his position upside-down in the tree, and the four ninjas eyed him warily.

Hinata, in the center of the pack and easily recognizable despite hair which had grown past her shoulders, giggled and waved at Jomei. "It's nice to see you again, Tanoshimi-kun."

All of my escorts gathered around me now, and our Konoha counterparts issued greetings. Hinata had a much smaller escort – two ninjas, who I suspected were her teammates, and her cousin Neji. My heart skipped a beat upon meeting Neji's blank white eyes as I remembered the last time we met; it was entirely thanks to Neji that I knew about my Bloodline Limit and ancestral line in Konoha. He nodded at me and smiled – an indication that he remembered as well – and I returned the gesture silently.

The air was oddly quiet, and Hinata and I seemed to realize at the same moment that not all members of our respective escorts had previously met.

I coughed politely. "Konoha friends: these are my teammates, Katana and Garuki; my roommates Nariko and Rai; and their teammates, Shiro and Jomei."

The boy on a large dog snorted. "How come you need so many bodyguards? You some kind of princess or something? Or are you just accident-prone?"

"They're more friends than bodyguards," I said, before grinning. "Although I _am_ the last of my clan, if that counts for anything."

The boy didn't seem to know what to say to that, so he just grumbled.

"These are my teammates, Shino, Kiba and Akamaru," Hinata began, gesturing at the dog last, "and this is my cousin Neji." After hearing her refer to the dog as her teammate, I understood why the Konoha group hadn't even given Rai a second glance. This may be a better match even than I'd initially thought.

I eyed the small group for a moment – members of my soon-to-be team and host family – and nodded to myself. I could do this. But first…

"Hinata-san," I said, addressing her instead of the group, "would you mind if I took a few minutes to say goodbye?"

"Of course not, Yoruhana-san," she said quietly, smiling and turning, I assumed to do the same.

I started with Jomei. He pouted at me.

"Don't start that, Jomei. You're a Chuunin now! And besides, I'll be back before you know it."

"But what if the badgers get attacked while you're gone?"

I dug in my pocket, and pulled out a crumpled ramen ticket. "Will this help? To get your energy up in case of an emergency, of course."

He nodded and took the paper reverently, then saluted. "I swear I will put it to good use!"

I smiled and moved down the line. Shiro was next. I knew he would be the easiest, somehow; thought we'd known each other as long as the others, we weren't the closest of friends, and that aside I had no doubts Shiro could take care of himself.

"Good luck," he said, face stoically passive, holding out a hand.

I took it and shook. "You too. Keep in touch."

He nodded, then looked pointedly at Jomei, who appeared on the verge of breaking into whimpers. Shiro took his arm and the moved off together to gather their things.

Next came Nariko, with Rai at her side.

"Nari…" I began, then hesitated. "I'm sorry."

Nariko blinked. "What?"

"For not asking you first, you know."

"You did ask me." One eyebrow rose at me.

I sighed. "Yes, but we both know I'd already decided."

Nari shook her head. "I'll give you that. But who am I to stand in the way of an opportunity like this? No way."

"But it's your apartment too, and…"

She held one palm up in front of me. "Stop that. You go and have the time of your life, and become strong. Besides, I'm sure Hinata-san and I will get along just fine." She sent a tentative smile in the direction of the younger Hyuuga, who was talking in a low voice with her cousin.

"You'll keep in touch, right? And come visit me?"

"Of course." Nari gave me a big hug, and Rai added a friendly nuzzle, followed by a gentle nudge in the direction of my teammates.

"I'll miss you too, Rai," I whispered in his ear, sneaking a handful of ramen coupons into his cape, and he winked at me as I moved on.

I approached my teammates, who had been waiting patiently off to the side. Katana came first. She glanced at the sky, the dirt, the trees – anything but me. Finally she pulled a light drawstring sack out of her pack. It looked as if it held a large dinner plate, but I couldn't see inside.

"It's from me and the kid," Katana said, still not looking directly at me but nodding her chin at Garuki. "You know…cuz we'll….miss you, and stuff."

I laughed and threw my arms around her. She tightened, then sighed and ruffled my hair.

"Thanks, guys."

"Yeah, yeah. It won't be the same without you, one way or another."

I released Katana and turned to Garuki. There was a long pause. Finally, he looked me in the eyes and, more seriously than was his custom, said merely, "Come back."

I nodded, eyes hard. "Be here when I do."

"You got it."

With that, I stepped away, and without a glance back at my comrades I approached the other group. Hinata's path crossed mine halfway between groups, and we paused, facing our futures side by side.

"Hinata-san," I said quietly. "Please take care of my team."

"I will, Yoruhana-san. You as well."

Without looking at her, I nodded, and my new village-mates nodded at me. I stepped toward them, and before I knew it we were on our way.


	3. The Settling Snowflake

Chapter 3: The Settling Snowflake

When we arrived at the large north gate of Hidden Leaf, the guards checked my passport and paperwork, and issued me a temporary ID for the village. The trip over had largely been a quiet one; neither Neji nor Shino seemed given to unnecessary conversation, and Kiba, though initially talkative, gave up after no one but his dog responded. I figured there would bed time to get to know them later, so I didn't press matters.

Once past the check point and into the city, my new teammates parted ways along the river that ran crossways through Konoha. Neji continued to lead me to the center-rear of the village, down Konoha's main street, a bustling, narrow road crowded with shops and people that looked familiar from my exam six months prior.

"You'll be living in Hinata-sama's room at our residence while you're here," Neji explained, "so I've been appointed as your guide."

"I'm pretty sure I remember how to find my way around," I offered, but continued to follow him anyway. In very little time, in the looming shadow of the Hokages' carved faces, the governmental office came into view. Soon, we were winding our way through its curved corridors, to arrive at the office of the Hokage herself.

A smallish, dark-haired woman holding a small pig introduced herself as Shizune and held the door for us. I patted the pig's head as we passed, and he squealed delightfully.

Inside the large room, much like our Yukikage's own, sat a large oak desk and many cluttered shelves. The windows offered a lovely view of the village several stories below. At a chair behind the desk sat Lady Tsunade, the 5th Hokage. That number alone reminded me how new our village was compared to theirs. In front of her stood two other shinobi; in the back of the room, two others who I assume were their guides.

Neji and I both bowed, and he stepped back. I moved forward past the other two ninjas and set the Yukikage's wrapped gift of the Hokage's desk, then moved back into line with them. They fidgeted, and I figured they were either nervous, or had been waiting here for a bit.

"Good, good, now we're all here," the Hokage said, answering that particular question. "Welcome to Konoha. Why don't the three of you introduce yourselves?" She nodded in my direction.

"Um, Yoruhana Hotaru of Snow, ma'am. I'm 15 years old and I've been a Chuunin for 6 months."

A smaller tan-skinned boy to my left stepped forward. He brushed scraggly black bangs from his eyes. "Hane Tsuyoshi of Sand, 13. I was promoted during the last Exam, about a month ago."

He stepped back, brushing loose hair back again, and was silent.

The girl on the far left stepped forward. Her hair and skin were dark like Tsuyoshi's, and her short hair fell in waves not much farther than her chin. Muscular shoulders square, voice firm, she introduced herself.

"Mizusa Asuka, representing Hidden Waterfall. I'm 15 and I've been a Chuunin since I was 12…well pretty close to 13, actually. Took me three exams but here I am." She grinned and stuck her hands on her hips. "Thanks for having us, old lady."

Tsunade frowned, and Tsuyoshi and I stared wide-eyed at our comrade's lack of tact. Something else struck me as funny about her as well, though I couldn't place it at first…

_She's using masculine pronouns!_ I finally realized. _She talks like a boy!_

But Tsunade, while still obviously perturbed, seemed to decide the term had been meant affectionately and decided to move on. "Yes…um, you're welcome. And welcome again to Konoha's Chuunin Exchange Program. Having you all here is sure to help us make great strides in the alliance between our villages."

She handed us each an itinerary. "You'll each be very busy with your new teams from now on, so you likely won't see much of each other for the next six months or so. Those are your itineraries for the next two weeks. After that, your teams will have their own uses for you."

I glanced at the sheet. There were numerous dinners and ambassadorial meetings scheduled, as well as basic training exercises with our new teams, and "village acclimation time."

"Make sure you are at all of your appointments on time. Now, for the moment, you are legally foreign to the village." She handed us small wallet-sized books. "Please keep your passports and that documentation on you at all times to avoid confusion, although I'm sure the village ANBU and Jounin will learn to recognize you soon enough.

"That is all for now. We'll give you the rest of the day to get settled in and learn your way around; please stick close to your guides until you do, as it can be easy to get lost. We'll see you all tomorrow evening at the welcome banquet." With that clear dismissal, Tsunade turned to her large stack of paperwork and paid us no further attention.

With a nod at my fellow exchange-ers, I turned back toward the door and Neji led the way back out into the streets of Konoha.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Not far from Konoha's main street, off to the east in the nicer and more open part of town very near the park and its lovely pond, lays the pristine walled residence of the Hyuuga Clan, possibly the largest, oldest and most respected of the great Konoha clans.

My own family had roots in that neighborhood in the distant past, but that wasn't what made the white walls, open dirt practice area and wide willow tree familiar to me as we rounded the corner and approached. I'd been here, twice before: once immediately following my triumph over Hinata in the preliminaries of the Chuunin Exam, and once less than a month later, when Neji snuck me into his family history vault as part of a bargain to have Katana train his own competitor, Tenten.

"I'll have to introduce you to the head of house," Neji mentioned as we entered the courtyard and headed for the maze of wooden decks that connected the traditional rice-paper-walled rooms. "I believe you've met, but as a formality…"

"Of course," I said, following him to a familiar room. I'd been here, too; Hyuuga Hiyashi had checked my chakra flow after my near-disastrous match with his daughter. And that sliding door – that was where Neji stopped me, where I discovered my Bloodlines.

I smiled as Neji opened the door, and he looked back at me oddly. "What?"

I shook the smile off my face, trying for a more appropriate demeanor. "Nothing. I'm just…remembering."

I thought I caught just the hint of a smile on Neji's face as he turned to enter the room before me, and bowed.

"Uncle, may I present Yoruhana Hotaru, Chuunin of the Hidden Village of Snow."

The old man sat on a floor pad at the end of the room, a vase of flowers carefully arranged in the alcove to his right. He looked me up and down with intense white eyes, as he had done once before, and smiled, though it seemed more formal than genuine. If he recognized my last name from his family histories, he didn't show it.

"Welcome, Yoruhana-san. We've arranged for you to stay in Hinata-chan's room. Be aware that a guard will occasionally be placed outside your door – this is for your protection," he added, when he spotted the shock on my face, "because attempts have occasionally been made on my daughter's life, and enemy clans may not be aware she is elsewhere. They are not to stop you from coming and going, however. You are welcome to enter anywhere that doors are unlocked – aside from other family members' private quarters, of course."

"Of course," I said, trying not to think about the family history vault when he mentioned unlocked doors. It was still a secret to all except Neji and me that I had been there. The Hyuugas were notorious for their ability to read faces, and I hoped Hiyashi couldn't read mine.

From where he now stood beside his uncle, Neji gave me a quiet, reassuring look, and my tension eased a bit.

"I thank you for allowing me to stay with your family," I said with another bow, for good measure. "It is an honor."

"That it is," Hiyashi said with a laugh, though I was quite sure he still meant it seriously. "Anyway…Let the cook know each morning which meals you'll eat here at the residence. You're welcome to use our courtyards for training, of course. I think that's all for now. Best of luck to you. Neji will show you to your room." With that, his attention went elsewhere, to a small book which had been left at his side at our arrival. Neji and I bowed and exited the room, sliding the door closed behind us.

Neji led the way down the porch to the right, then into the building proper and down the center corridor to a traditional room which was small by his house's standards, but still larger than my bedroom in Konoha. Like all rooms of this older style, there was a small alcove, which had been decorated with a painting of a ninja napping under a sakura tree on a hanging scroll, as well as a small vase holding a single lily. To either side of the alcove were large sliding closet doors.

Neji removed his sandals and stepped into the room, and I did the same. "Your bedding is in here," he said, motioning to the closet on the right, "and your clothing can go in this one on the left. There's a bedside table in the little closet under the alcove which you can set up if you want. Feel free to decorate how you'd like. My cousin took most of her decorations with her."

I grinned and motioned to my pack. "I did the same! Thought it would make it feel more like home."

"I hope you'll come to feel at home here either way," he said politely, then nodded at me and backed away.

"You're leaving?"

"I'll let you get comfortable. You'll probably want to go out for dinner tonight, so let me know if you need any directions."

"Right. Thanks."

"Oh, and one more thing. You remember what I told you last time? About your family?"

I remembered. The Yoruhana family and the Hyuuga's main branch had some bad blood in the past, though I was never truly told why. I suspected it had something to do with my clan's disappearance. I nodded.

"The same goes. Few here are old enough to recognize your name, aside from those who study the histories, but you are best off not calling attention to your bloodline – family or ability. If you don't, I doubt they'll give you trouble." With that, Neji left, closing the sliding door behind him, and I turned to my pack.

_Time to make this little place into my little place._

I started by pulling out the bedding and setting up the futon, then slipped the low bedside table out of the closet and set it up below the alcove. On it, from my pack, went a small clock and my family and Genin photos. I'd need to buy a little lamp for it later.

I reached into my pack and pulled out my writing supplies and the scroll given to me by the Yukikage. I started to set them under the table, then remembered what she'd said about keeping them secret, and instead slipped them into the little cupboard where the table had previously been.

My clothes into the closet, a few scroll paintings and movie posters up on the walls, and the place seemed quite a bit more like home.

I went to put my pack away in the closet, but when I picked it up it felt heavy. Dumping the contents on my futon, I realized what I had forgotten – the gifts from Sutiibu and my teammates.

Plopping down onto the futon and crossing my legs, I picked up Sutiibu's small package first. Pulling open the lid, I found inside an old book. "Elemental Chakra Manual" was printed across the top. On top was a note.

_I thought it might be worth a read, given your circumstances. Especially chapter 7…oh, but read them in order of course. Anyway, you should…hmm, the curry lady is coming, so I'd better cut this short. I hope you get some use out of it! Train hard this year._

_-Sutiibu_

I shook my head and smiled. Leave it to Sutiibu to get distracted by a pretty lady mid-note. Though he'd had his eyes on the curry lady for awhile…

Well, it was just like Sutiibu to give me training books as a gift…though actually it was a good idea. Who knew how much free time I'd have to work on things on my own, and a manual would give me something new to practice. Elemental chakra though…was he talking about my Hibana?

I shook my head and set the issue aside for a moment, laying the manual on my bedside table and selecting the gift from Katana and Garuki. Not only was the drawstring bag big enough to hold a large dinner plate, it was heavy enough too. I was at a loss.

Unstringing the bag, I lifted out, to my surprise, a pair of very carefully-wrapped, oversized shuriken. Again, a note fell out with them. In Katana's handwriting:

_We thought it was time you add something to your arsenal. I designed these especially for you and had my parents make them, so they should suit your fighting style well – the size will be more manageable, the heavy blades will add weight to your throws, and they were made using special metal – it soaks up chakra. They will take some practice, of course, but I think you'll like them._

_I included care instructions, so I better find them in good repair when you come back!_

_-Katana_

And below that:

_These are so cool! I bet you'll find all sorts of awesome uses for them. Have fun in Konoha!_

_-Garuki_

I smiled, eyes intent as I picked up one of the gleaming metal stars, running a finger across its smooth surface and feeling its weight in my hand. I couldn't help admiring the craftsmanship of the piece, and though I'd never been much good with weapons, I'd always wanted to pick one up. Above all, I trusted nee-san's judgment. If she felt these suited me, they did. I knew they would take a long time to master, but I vowed to work hard at it during my year away.

Slipping the twin stars away into their felt sack and tucking the note into my writing box, I recalled what Katana had written about chakra blades and for the first time wondered if my teammates and Sutiibu-sensei had collaborated on their gifts. If those stars could hold my natured chakra, then if I mastered Hibana, theoretically I could channel it through them and…

_No, no. That would take far too much concentration. It would be dangerous to even try something that detailed, and…_

_No, stop that,_ I tried to argue with myself. _I can't think that way anymore. I'm here to master my Bloodlines. I can't be timid about it anymore._

Yet, even as I thought that, I couldn't help but wonder exactly _who_ here was supposed to be helping me learn.

_Maybe I'd have been better off in Snow after all. At least my friends are there._

Frustrated, I stood up and grabbed my fanny pack, clipping it on beneath my old silver obi. I had errands to run, and if the frayed edges of the obi and the current humidity were any indication, my first stop would have to be the tailor's.


	4. A Rustling Leaf

Chapter 4: A Rustling Leaf

I didn't return to the Hyuuga residence until the sun was on its way down, hiding already behind the tallest of Konoha's buildings. A few of the clan's mothers wandered on the porches outdoors, taking down laundry which had been drying on lines all day; a few of them gave me polite nods as I passed, but I received no further attention.

I slipped into my room unnoticed – the guards apparently judged there were no threats to "Hinata's" life that particular night – and plopped down onto my futon, staring at the ceiling. I'm all for personal space at times, but going essentially unnoticed by any living being since my arrival was beginning to irk me. At least errands had gone well; I had purchased a tiny shaded lamp for my bedside table, and the tailor said he'd have my new outfit – the one Garuki had designed for me, with an alteration on the back of the jacket to carry my new throwing stars – ready for me in about a week. I could hardly wait. The heat of Konoha was beginning to be stifling, though the at least the sunset brought a calm coolness to the air.

Eventually I rose, took a bath in Hinata's private bathroom, readied myself for bed and lay down. But try as I might, I couldn't get comfortable. The futon was less firm than my own bed at home; I missed Rai's snoring across the hall; I thought of my friends and wondered how they were. Finally, I flipped on my bedside light and took the Yukikage's scroll out of the cupboard.

Unrolling it and readying my ink, I laid it out on the tatami floor to write.

_Nidaime-sama,_

_I have arrived safely in Konoha. I met with the Hokage today and she thanks you for the gift. Were those gambling chips in that box?_

_The Hyuuga household is nice, but the people are somewhat cold on the whole. No one has spoken with me much. I'm missing home. How is everyone?_

_Our official welcome party is tomorrow evening, and I meet my team and instructor tomorrow too. Hopefully I'll feel better then._

_Regards, Hotaru_

I blew on the ink and watched in amazement as, as the ink dried, it disappeared. I assumed that was an indication the jutsu was working, and marveled once more at the Yukikage's genius. I rolled the scroll back up and stuck it away.

Unfortunately, I was still feeling restless. It had long ago grown dark outside, and since there had not been a sign of clouds before I went to bed I suspected a clear, starry night. Stretching, I rose and slipped on my old, worn ninja outfit.

_Well, they did say I was free to use the courtyard,_ I thought, and I grabbed my two new throwing stars from their bag. If I was up, may as well be practicing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was right – it was a beautiful night out in the rear courtyard, an area more secluded than the one by the front gate, where I was less likely to be interrupted or disrupt any Hyuugas asleep in their rooms. Stars were out, a breeze blew to cool me during practice, and the trees around the area rustled pleasantly.

They also made for good targets. After warming up and running through basic forms, I decided to spend some time becoming familiar with my new weapons. I scratched an X into an already well-used tree and stood back, then began to throw the stars at the tree.

Their shape was similar enough to a normal shuriken, though their weight was impressive, and I could tell right away that my normal throw would have to be altered to become effective. I missed the first few times, but then managed to hit the tree at least. Working off of that, I spent the next half hour or so training my muscles to remember and fine-tune the new motion. I had to make frequent stops, as my arm was unaccustomed to the weight, and by the end of a half hour it was going numb. I was just beginning the unfortunate process of training my _left_ hand to throw as well – I am in no way left handed – when I heard the trees behind me rustle just the tiniest bit more than the wind should have managed.

Without even thinking I swung around and sent one of my new stars sparkling through the night air. Too late though; whoever was there moved, and the star embedded itself horizontally in a large willow trunk near the building wall. But then…

"Too slow."

_Behind me!_ Eyes wide, I spun and ducked just in time to miss the palm coming at my body.

_Wait, Neji??_ I'd expected an assassin, perhaps, or a disgruntled Hyuuga Main Branch elder, but Neji?

He pulled back two fingers to strike again, and I ducked and slid between his legs, scrambling to right myself on the other side. I went to grab my kunai from my pouch, and realized I'd left it in my room. He moved at me again while I was distracted., aiming for my arms, and I barely dodged around him.

"What are you doing??" I demanded as he sent another barrage at me.

"Humor me."

_So fast! _No matter how quickly I dodged, the boy in front of me was like lightning, striking and pulling back almost before I could see him move. _So this is what it's like to fight the Hyuuga genius._ Hinata, for all the trouble she'd given me at the exam, couldn't hold a candle to this boy.

I tried to dodge another set of Juuken palm strikes, only to have two land on my right arm. Already exhausted from shuriken practice, it fell entirely numb at my side. Frantic, I backed up as quickly as I could, waited for another strike and jumped face-forward at the ground to his left, rolling. Before he could turn all the way, I stopped the roll with my arms, planted my left foot on the ground and shot out my right in a back-kick to his lower side.

It landed, but I couldn't push him back far enough or fast enough, and he got several shots in to my lower leg before stumbling back out of reach.

"Too weak, and your balance is off."

"You snuck up on me!"

"You're a ninja, deal with it."

Frustrated, I ran at him, and he entered a defensive pose. Realizing I was running straight into danger, at the last second I shifted to the side and slid past, hoping to attack his backside. Again, though, he was too quick for me, and started another barrage while I was still off balance, pushing me back toward the mansion's walls.

If I let him push me back any farther, I'd be trapped against the tree where…

_…where the star lodged._

Smiling ever so slightly, I let him push me back until I almost touched the tree, then at the last second, jumped. He hit my left foot on my way up, but I landed on the star and used it to launch myself into the tree. Both my legs had been hit now, so I lacked the chakra to jump well and landed awkwardly, but at least I was out of his reach. Both of us paused, taking a few deep breaths to consider.

"You're too slow to use those moves. I've shut down enough of your tenketsu that you won't last much longer."

I cursed under my breath. _He's right. This is pointless! Why'd he even attack me in the first place? _There was no way he was fighting at Chuunin level. He was far beyond that. Far beyond me.

_No. Stop and think. I've got to remember my basics. How did I fight Hinata? Distance. Good. I've got that. Then how? _ I frowned. I remembered how, but that didn't make it any easier. _Hibana._

I eyed the star lodged in the trunk of the tree and considered. I'd never even tried it, but it was my best bet…

The other star still lay across the practice area, too far out of reach, but this one…

Not waiting for Neji to make a move, I launched down the tree, planting my feet just above the star, grabbing with both hands and pushing off with my legs. I couldn't get far, but I got past him, running halfway across the area before turning. He hadn't done anything yet aside from turning to face me, and I got the nagging feeling he was going easy on me.

Angered, I set my Kokugan on, then carefully funneled both my chakras into the star. I tried to keep a thin line of chakra between it and my hand, then sent it flying boomerang style around Neji. Hoping for it to come back in the blind spot behind his head, I made the seals for the move I had planned.

"Shuriken Kage Bunshin!"

The Shuriken split into three – the largest I could ever manage with that jutsu, and I felt my energy drain significantly. Seeing stars coming at him from multiple directions, Neji moved into defensive stance, and began what I expected would be a move similar to Hinata's chakra defense.

I grinned, and using the thin line of chakra still hooked to the middle star, I made a small spark. _He fell for it._

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said, and watched his eyes glint in fear – and his body halt mid-spin – as he saw the spark on the center star catch.

But right as that happened, most of my remaining chakra drained, and I lost control of the jutsu. The two kage-bunshin stars disappeared mid-air, and Neji merely stepped out of the path of the center star. It fell, burning only lightly, to the ground. Neji turned at me.

"Reckless."

He moved.

In shock and exhausted, I tried to move out of the way. I needed a weapon – it was the only way I could fight him at a far enough range – but he would be expecting me to go for one of the stars. I had to distract him.

My eye catching a tiny koi pond in the rear corner of the garden for the first time, I pulled my hands into a series of seals that I hoped was fast enough, and called out, "Suiton! Suimen no Jutsu!"

The top layer of the pond erupted into a wall of haze that surrounded us. It was weak, but it would have to do. My Kokugan activated, I could see the chakra still emanating out of the fallen star, even though its flame had already burnt out in the dirt. I moved for it.

I could also see Neji's bright chakra, however. So when he moved straight at me, I knew. And when he appeared directly behind me and sent several shots at my back through the mist, I could see his tiny, controlled beams of chakra as they shot straight through my body.

Kokugan and the Suimen both dispelled instantly. I collapsed to the ground, managing only to turn on my back and reach out for the shuriken frantically with my left hand. I brought it up in front of me as the mist cleared and Neji's form came into clear view.

"You're persistent. I'll give you that much. Well, get up."

"Get up?" I said, frowning at him. "I can't. You just shut off my entire supply of energy, you jerk."

He sighed and held out a hand, lifting me carefully. Even after a fight, his arms radiated strength.

_There's no way I could have beat him. He's way out of my league._

Neji helped me over to a fountain near the building and sat me down on the edge. I splashed some water weakly over my face, and felt a little bit better, if still completely exhausted.

"I can't believe after all you've learned, you still tried to use a smoke screen. On me. Clearly you aren't a water elemental, and even if you _had_ enough chakra to pull it off, if _you_ can see in that, clearly I can."

I suddenly felt very stupid. I didn't even bother to come up with an excuse. _Of course the Byakugan can see through something like that…_

He sighed again, taking a seat next to me. "On top of that, you're too slow, too weak, and have far too little chakra or control over it to pull of any of those moves you tried. Plus you attempted to use weapons you clearly had no knowledge of."

"Hey, you started it," I began, but he cut me off.

"Of course, that last pitiful Suiton aside, you came up with some very clever attacks."

"Um…thanks…" _I think…_

"You're nowhere near Chuunin level."

"I got my Chuunin rank nearly six mo-"

He held up a hand. "Your moves, I mean. But you're intelligent enough to beat most of the Chuunin I know. I see why they promoted you; you must be an excellent squad captain. But things happen. As it stands right now, when you only have your own abilities to work with, your strategic ability is severely limited by what your body can and can't do."

I couldn't help but interrupt. "Don't you think I already know that? Why do you think I was out here practicing in the middle of the night?"

He paused, and looked at me. "Did you, or did you not, come to Konoha seeking help?"

"I…what?"

"You want to be able to take full advantage of your Bloodline, and you want your body to be able to keep up with your head. Am I right?"

"Well…yes."

He started counting off on his fingers. "Here's what I'm thinking. Lee for speed and power training, of course. No matter what anyone may say, I know that when it comes to basic taijutsu, he has me beat. Tenten owes you one anyway for the Exam, so I'm sure she could give you some pointers for how best to use your new weapons. I'd suggest you do some research on your own about elemental techniques, so you don't try to pull any more water jutsu when it's likely your weakest element…"

Suddenly I understood. "You're creating a training program for me? That's what all that was about?"

"Of course. What did you think it was?"

I blinked. _I had no idea_. "What about my Bloodline, then?"

Neji sighed, leaning back on his hands along the side of the fountain, and looking up to the sky. "I can only see one thing that would truly help you with that. But you may not like it."

"Tell me. Please. I'll do anything."

"We'll have to train at night."

"Sure, of course, I can take naps during the day and I don't sleep that much anyway…wait. We?"

Neji straightened. "Yes. You, and me. I'm going to teach you Juuken."

My jaw dropped. "Isn't that a secret clan technique?"

"That's why we'll have to train at night. But remember what I told you when you first learned about your abilities?"

_The requirements for Hibana were similar to that needed for Juuken – chakra strengthening and control – so the Hyuuga Branch family and the Yoruhanas often trained together._

"I think I get it."

He nodded. "Good. We'll start tomorrow night then. It would be safer if we went to the training facilities, but there are records of that. Just make sure if your room is guarded that they think you're going somewhere else."

"Right." I continued to sit for a minute, still feeling too tired to stand on my own. _At least I'll sleep well tonight._

"Neji-san," I said. He looked over at me. "Why…are you doing this for me? There's no danger to you or your family involved this time, and you don't owe me a thing."

He shrugged, and stood. "I guess I just see potential in you. It would be a shame to waste it." He walked off toward the Branch Family side of the building. "I'll speak to my teammates about you tomorrow. I believe they'll be happy to help. If so, expect to start training with them during your free time during the day."

"Y-yes. Thank you."

With that, he was gone.


End file.
